Escambia County Sample Ballots Are In The Mail
August 5, 2020
Sample ballots for the August 18 primary election in Escambia County are in the mail, according to Supervisor of Elections David Stafford.
The sample ballot, in both English and Spanish, includes a ballot image, the voter’s polling location and information on the three ways to vote: early, vote-by-mail, and on election day.
In Florida’s closed partisan primary elections, you are only eligible to vote in primary contests for the party in which you are registered, unless it is a universal primary or nonpartisan contest. Due to the structure of Florida’s primary elections and Escambia County’s single-member districts, not all voters will receive a ballot in the August primary election. Your party affiliation, district and precinct determine which contests appear on your primary election ballot. For some voters, there are no primary contests in which they are eligible to vote.
Voters have three different ways to cast their ballot:
- By Mail:Voters may vote by mail using a vote-by-mail ballot, which can be requested through the online form at EscambiaVotes.gov, or by contacting the Supervisor of Elections by mail, phone (850) 595-3900, e-mail (votebymail@escambiavotes.com), or fax (850) 595-3914. Requests must include the voter’s date of birth and the address, and must be received no later than Saturday, August 8. Voted ballots must be received in the Elections Office no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day and may not be returned to a polling location on Election Day. Voters may now drop-off a vote-by-mail ballot during Early Voting hours at any of the nine area locations.
- Early Voting: Early voting will be available Saturday, August 8 through Saturday, August 15 at the following locations and times:
- Supervisor of Elections Office, 213 Palafox Place, Second Floor (8 a.m. – 5 p.m.)
- Main Library, 239 Spring Street (9 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
- Molino Community Center, 6450-A Highway 95A, Molino (9 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
- Genealogy Branch Library, 5740 B, 9th Avenue (9 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
- Southwest Branch Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway (9 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
- Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds, 6655 Mobile Highway (9 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
- Escambia County Extension, 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment (9 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
- Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. DeSoto Street (9 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
- University of West Florida Conference Center, Building 22, University Parkway (9 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
- At Your Precinct: The third option for voters is to cast a paper ballot at their precinct on Election Day, Tuesday, August 18. Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.
Century Council Questions Safety Of Town Hall After Positive COVID-19 Cases
August 4, 2020
The Century Town Council questioned Monday ight if the town hall is safe for workers and the upcoming primary election day because it has not been professionally cleaned since two employees were diagnosed positive for COVID-19.
On the afternoon on July 24, the town announced two employees that work in the building were positive, and they had gone home to quarantine.
Following a question by council member Brenda Spencer, Mayor Henry Hawkins said town workers had cleaned the building. He said “the little disinfecting we do in the day works”. The town does not have any cleaning personnel on the payroll.
In response, the council quickly voted to hire a professional company to clean the building with hopes that it will be eligible for federal CARES Act reimbursement.
A Monday night town council meeting in building was open to the public. All of the council members attended by Zoom but others did attend in person, including Hawkins, Interim City Manager Vernon Prather, two other town employees and at least one member of the public. And the building will be open as a voting precinct on August 18. Otherwise, it’s been closed to the public for weeks.
Staff has continued to work in the building, but Hawkins said he has them assigned to only work one at a time.
“That’s extremely dangerous,” council member James Smith said. “…When you put yourselves and other people at risk, it’s not a good thing.”
Councilman Luis Gomez expressed concern that the town was not adequately addressing COVID-19 concerns.
‘We as the city leaders, we need to start discussing this a little more,” Gomez said. “It’s digging deeper into the town of Century and its citizens.” As of Monday, the Florida Department of Health reported 76 total COVID-19 cases in the Century zip code.
Gomez said four people he knows have recently tested positive, and he mentioned a town employee by name and his wife that he said were infected with the virus. He said the town needs a plan just in case numerous employees become infected, and he believes employee were not getting tested.
“This virus is not playing,” Gomez said. “I’d rather one get sick and go home on quarantine than keep it hush-hush.”
There are only five employees, in addition to the mayor and city manager, that make up the full staff working inside the Century Town Hall.
Town Clerk Kim Godwin said one of the two currently out due to COVID-19 retested positive, and the second is expected to be tested again on August 5.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Q&A With The Semifinalists For Escambia School Superintendent (With Video Responses)
August 4, 2020
There are six semifinalists under consideration to be the next Escambia County school superintendent, and now the school board and the public are getting a chance to hear from them.
In November 2018, Escambia County citizens voted to move from an elected to an appointed superintendent. Malcolm Thomas, the current elected superintendent, will retire in November. A selection committee was formed and narrowed a list of 27 applicants to the six semifinalists.
Each of the six has provided a combination of written and video responses to questions from the school board about their leadership skills, education and other topics. The board will consider the responses and then move forward with some or all of the six for in-person interviews.
To read and watch the responses from each candidate, use the links below. Also, their resumes are available by clicking their names.
Marques L. Stewart
9th grade principal Fredrick Douglas High School, Atlanta, 929 students, July 2019 to present. Previous: Principal Harper Archer Middle School, 486 students, January 2015-June 2019. He is a 1996 Woodham High School graduate.
Stewart’s written responses are here.
Dr. Earl Johnson
Executive director Leadership/Operations Flagler County Schools (FL), 13,000 students, 2017 to present. Previous: High school and elementary principal Flagler County, 2004-2017.
Johnson’s written responses are here .
Keith C. Rittel
Superintendent, Provo, UT, 18,000 students, 2012-present. Previous: Deputy superintendent, Clover Park (Lakewood, WA), 12,000 students, 2008-2012.
Rittel’s written responses are here.
Rittel submitted his video responses in two parts:
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Dr. Timothy A. Smith
Executive area director of high schools, Orange County (FL), 212,000 students, June 2018 to present. Previous: Principal of Winter Park High School (FL), 3,400 students, July 2010-June 2018.
Smith’s written responses are here.
Smith submitted his video responses in two parts:
Keith Leonard
Assistant superintendent of Human Resource Services Escambia County, 40,500 students, June 2020-present. Previous: Director of Human Resources, Escambia County, 2007-2020.
Leonard’s written responses are here.
Dr. Vincent F. Cotter
Co-founder Exemplary Schools Organization, 2014-present. Previous: Consultant 2011-2013: Superintendent Colonial School District (PA), 4,966 students, 2000-2011.
Cotter’s written responses are here.
Cox Recognizes Inspirational Student Heroes From Local Schools
August 4, 2020
Cox Communications once again honored a special group of Escambia and Okaloosa County students this year as Cox Inspirational Student Heroes. Combined, 84 students were celebrated for having overcome extreme hardships in their lives.
The students were chosen by a committee of leaders at their school, due to their resilience in the face of adversity. Whether they have overcome a loss of a family member, medical issue, difficult family situation or other hardship, they did so with a smile on their face and continued to encourage and inspire others around them.
Due to COVID-19, Cox was unable to recognize the students in the usual award ceremonies held at the University of West Florida in Pensacola and Northwest Florida State College in Niceville. Instead, the Heroes received their recognitions in the mail, and a special television show is available in the video above.
This year’s award recipients in Escambia and Okaloosa Counties are:
- AK Suter Elementary School – Stephen Dunn
- Antioch Elementary School – Tristan Murawski
- Baker School – David Legros III
- Bellview Elementary School – Alex Campbell
- Bellview Middle School – Kaleb Donaldson
- Beulah Academy of Science – Christian Hollingsworth
- Beulah Elementary School – Aiden Hollingsworth
- Beulah Middle School – Ja’siya Bender
- Blue Angels Elementary School – Kaitlyn Graves
- Bluewater Elementary School – Austin Smith
- Bob Sikes Elementary School – Temperance Custer
- Bratt Elementary School – Zachary Weaver
- Brentwood Elementary School – Roger Cabrera
- Brown Barge Middle School – Kylee Lovell
- Bruner Middle School – Tristin Blackman
- Byrneville Elementary School – Gabrielle Hawsey
- CA Weis Elementary School – Anthony Mack
- Camelot Academy – Joquan Williams
- Camelot Academy – Joquarise Williams
- Choctaw High School – Keone C. Corpuz
- Crestview High School – Carri Brown
- Davidson Middle School – Tyler Nesmith
- Destin Elementary School – Rickey Schaffer
- Destin Middle School – James Devarona
- Edge Elementary School – Sean Britton
- Eglin Elementary School – Giovanni Alvarado
- Elliott Point Elementary School – Andrew Guity
- Ensley Elementary School – Juan Fernando Zaldivar-Meija
- Ernest Ward Middle School – Brandon Odom
- Escambia High School – Anthony Goodwin
- Ferry Pass Elementary School – Calvin Peoples
- Ferry Pass Middle School – Jeanine Clark
- Florosa Elementary School – Haley Curry
- Fort Walton Beach High School – Sebastian Riker
- Global Learning Academy – Jacob Emrico
- Hellen Caro Elementary School – Trent Henry
- Holm Elementary School – Jaylen Phillips
- Jim Bailey Middle School – Anwyn Butler
- Kenwood Elementary School – Jeremiah Parker
- Kingfield Elementary School – Luca Bradley
- Laurel Hill School – Andrew “Moon” Wiggins
- Lincoln Park Elementary – Ja’Kayline Vickers
- Lipscomb Elementary School – Elizabeth Burdeaux
- Longwood Elementary School – Tatianna Gary
- Mary Esther Elementary School – Jayda Oleson
- McArthur Elementary School – Carlie Rushing
- McArthur Elementary School – Zoe Rushing
- Meigs Middle School – Desi Goble
- Molino Park Elementary – Jonathon Campbell
- Montclair Elementary School – Stormy Golden
- Myrtle Grove Elementary – Kamren Dixon Jr
- N.B. Cook Elementary School – Ryan Kostelnik
- Navy Point Elementary School – Demarious Anderson
- Niceville High School – Katlin Flores
- Northview High School – Tyler Wade Simmons
- Northwood Elementary School – Brenda Gonzalez
- Oakcrest Elementary School – Angela Bessent
- OJ Semmes Elementary School – Carnell Dawson
- Okaloosa STEMM Academy – Brynne Massey
- Pensacola High School – Tiffany Vo
- Pensacola High School – Genevieve Wilhelm
- Pine Forest High School – Jaylen Clausell
- Pine Meadow Elementary School – Dennis Wilson
- Pleasant Grove Elementary School – Nehemiah “Nemo” Perez
- Plew Elementary School – Kayla Norman
- Project Search – Timothy Emanuel
- Pryor Middle School – Kayden Sutton
- Ransom Middle School – Kriseya Wheeler
- Richburg School – Emaun Blackwell
- Riverside Elementary School – Angel Martinez-Rodriguez (Jojo)
- Ruckel Middle School – Joseph Jones
- Scenic Heights Elementary School – Kristina Hinton
- Shalimar Elementary School – Mason Litwiller
- Sherwood Elementary School – Brooke Holland
- Shoal River Middle School – Ahmad Thomas
- Silver Sands School – Dalton Malone
- Southside Primary School – Vincent Bloom
- Tate High School – Tyler Ramsey
- Walker Elementary School – Amanda Andujar
- Warrington Middle School – Logan Ming
- Washington High School – William “Billy” Hoover
- West Florida High School – Antoinette Heno
- West Pensacola Elementary School – Noah Jones
“Unfortunately, we were unable to recognize these great students in person, but Cox still wanted to make sure they knew what an inspiration they are to others around them,” said David Deliman, Cox Gulf Coast market vice president. “These students have overcome so much in their young lives while maintaining positive attitudes and bringing joy to others. They deserve their time in the spotlight for being such an inspiration to us all. We’re glad we were still able to tell their stories.”
In the mail, each student received a personalized engraved medallion and certificates of honor from Cox, United States Congressman Matt Gaetz and Florida State Senator Doug Broxson.
UWF Site Prioritizing COVID-19 Testing For Symptomatic People And Those Over 65
August 4, 2020
Beginning Wednesday, Florida will prioritize COVID-19 testing for those with symptoms or that are 65 or older at state sponsored testing sites.
Drive-thru sites across the state — including the one at the University of West Florida in Pensacola — will offer expanded lanes for symptomatic individuals and individuals 65 and older. The priority lanes will offer self-swab tests, under the supervision of health care personnel, with results available within 72 hours.
All state-supported drive-thru testing sites will also begin offering COVID-19 antibody testing to assist with asymptomatic testing.
“This testing initiative will provide expedited results for symptomatic and vulnerable populations, enable faster data reporting, make contact tracing more effective, and enable a greater understanding of the transmission of the virus in the general population,” the Florida Division on Emergency Management said in a statement.
More state sponsored test site information:
UWF – The drive-thru only test site is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, seven days a week, unless there is inclement weather. Self-swabbing is available by appointment. Ages 5-17 require an appointment. Appointments can be made by the following methods: “doineedacovid19test.com” or by calling, 1-800-635-8611. It is located at the SP2 parking lot, which is on the east side of campus, near the East Sports Complex. Individuals are asked to remain in their vehicles, which must have a window. Pre-screening is not required. Must be 18 or older to be tested. FL ID required for adults.
Early Voting Begins Saturday In Escambia County At These Nine Locations
August 4, 2020
Early voting begins Saturday in Escambia County at nine locations.
Early voting will begin Saturday, August 8 though Saturday, August 15. Each location will be open from from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m., with the exception of the Supervisor of Elections Office which will be open 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.
- Escambia County Extension, 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment
- Molino Community Center, 6450-A Highway 95A, Molino
- University of West Florida Conference Center, Building 22, University Parkway
- Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds, 6655 Mobile Highway
- Genealogy Branch Library, 5740 B, 9th Avenue
- Supervisor of Elections Office, 213 Palafox Place, Second Floor
- Pensacola Library, 239 N Spring Street
- Southwest Branch Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway
- Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. DeSoto Street
As of Monday night, 14,596 ballots had been cast by mail in Escambia County.
Primary Election Day is Tuesday, August 18.
Application Deadline Is Thursday For State Program To Help Landowners Combat Southern Pine Beetle Outbreak
August 4, 2020
The Florida Forest Service is announcing that applications are now being accepted for the 2020 Southern Pine Beetle Assistance and Prevention Program. The program is limited to 44 northern Florida counties, the known range of the southern pine beetle, and open to non-industrial, private forest landowners through August 6, 2020.
The southern pine beetle (SPB) is one of the most economically devastating forest pests of the Southeast, with periodic outbreaks leading to deaths of millions of pine trees. Since 2015, over 460 SPB infestations have been reported in Florida, killing trees on more than 2,200 acres. This pales in comparison to the last major outbreaks between 1999 and 2002, which caused an estimated $59 million in timber losses on over 24,000 acres.
Since it was first offered in 2005, the Southern Pine Beetle Assistance and Prevention Program has been implemented on more than 197,000 acres and helped thousands of landowners.
“Southern pine beetle activity is relatively low in Florida right now, but it can increase rapidly,” said Erin Albury, State Forester and Director of the Florida Forest Service. “Awareness is key, and we want to help landowners improve the health and productivity of their pine forests.”
The Southern Pine Beetle Assistance and Prevention Program, supported through a grant by the United States Forest Service, provides incentive payments for landowners who conduct a first pulpwood thinning and offers partial cost reimbursement for activities, such as prescribed burning, mechanical underbrush treatments, and the planting of longleaf or slash pine rather than the loblolly pine, the beetle’s preferred species. Qualified landowners can apply for up to two different practices per year, and funding requests may not exceed $10,000. All qualifying applications received during the submission period will be evaluated and ranked for approval.
Visit FDACS.gov/SPBPrevention to learn more about the Southern Pine Beetle Assistance Program or click here to obtain an application.
“Pine forests are an essential part of Florida’s ecosystem,” said Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried. “Helping landowners take preventative action significantly reduces the risk and impacts associated with the southern pine beetle and is critical to preserving the benefits that forests provide Floridians and visitors alike.”
Pensacola Splashdown: SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Returns To Gulf Of Mexico (With Photo Gallery)
August 3, 2020
Two NASA astronauts splashed down safely in the Gulf of Mexico south of Pensacola Sunday for the first time in a commercially built and operated American crew spacecraft, returning from the International Space Station to complete a test flight that marks a new era in human spaceflight.
SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, carrying Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley, splashed down under parachutes at 1:48 p.m. Sunday and was successfully recovered by SpaceX. After returning to land at Pensacola Naval Air Station, the astronauts were flown back to Houston.
For a photo gallery, click here.
(article continues below each photo, scroll down)
Pictured above: The SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft is lifted onto the SpaceX GO Navigator recovery ship shortly after it landed in the Gulf South of Pensacola.
“Welcome home, Bob and Doug! Congratulations to the NASA and SpaceX teams for the incredible work to make this test flight possible,” said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. “It’s a testament to what we can accomplish when we work together to do something once thought impossible. Partners are key to how we go farther than ever before and take the next steps on daring missions to the Moon and Mars.”
Behnken and Hurley’s return was the first splashdown for American astronauts since Thomas Stafford, Vance Brand, and Donald “Deke” Slayton landed in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Hawaii on July 24, 1975, at the end of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.
Pictured: above: NASA astronauts Robert Behnken, left, and Douglas Hurley are seen inside the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft onboard the SpaceX GO Navigator recovery ship shortly after having landed in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola
NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 test flight launched May 30 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. After reaching orbit, Behnken and Hurley named their Crew Dragon spacecraft “Endeavour” as a tribute to the first space shuttle each astronaut had flown aboard.
Nearly 19 hours later, Crew Dragon docked to the forward port of the International Space Station’s Harmony module May 31.
“On behalf of all SpaceX employees, thank you to NASA for the opportunity to return human spaceflight to the United States by flying NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley,” said SpaceX President and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell. “Congratulations to the entire SpaceX and NASA team on such an extraordinary mission. We could not be more proud to see Bob and Doug safely back home—we all appreciate their dedication to this mission and helping us start the journey towards carrying people regularly to low Earth orbit and on to the Moon and Mars. And I really hope they enjoyed the ride!”
Pictured above: Support teams and curious recreational boaters arrive at the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft shortly after it landed south of Pensacola.
Behnken and Hurley participated in a number of scientific experiments, spacewalks and public engagement events during their 62 days aboard station. Overall, the astronaut duo spent 64 days in orbit, completed 1,024 orbits around Earth and traveled 27,147,284 statute miles.
The Demo-2 test flight is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which has worked with the U.S. aerospace industry to launch astronauts on American rockets and spacecraft from American soil to the space station for the first time since 2011. This is SpaceX’s final test flight and is providing data on the performance of the Falcon 9 rocket, Crew Dragon spacecraft and ground systems, as well as in-orbit, docking, splashdown, and recovery operations.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Photos courtesy NASA/Bill Ingalls and others for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Pictured above: NASA astronaut Douglas Hurley waves to onlookers as he boards a plane at Naval Air Station Pensacola to return him and NASA astronaut Robert Behnken home to Houston a few hours after the duo landed in their SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft off the coast of Pensacola.
Century Accepting Lease Proposals On Large Industrial Building Until Thursday
August 3, 2020
The Town of Century is seeking lease proposals for a 40,390 square foot building in the town’s industrial park, and the deadline is this Thursday.
Known as the Helicopter Technology Building — named for the defunct company that was based there — it has been empty since 2008.
The town is still footing the bill for utilities, insurance, maintenance and other costs for the vacant property, and they are looking to turn it into a positive cash flow and create jobs along the way.
Lease proposals will be accepted until 1 p.m. on Thursday, August 6. Proposal requirements include the proposed monthly lease fee, desired start day, and number of employees associated with the proposed lease. The town council will review the proposals and reserves the right to reject any or all of them. Click or tap here for the complete requirements and procedure (pdf).
In 2017, the building was appraised for $550,000 with a fair market rent of $80,000 per year ($6,667 per month). The office and warehouse space has full climate control, sprinkler system, new HVAC and energy efficient lighting.
Last Potential Lessor Was Rejected
The most recent company seeking to lease the building was rejected by the town council.
In May 2019, West Florida Gin Manager Robert Earl Godwin and businessman Larry Baxley, who were in the process of setting up North Escambia Warehouse and Storage, LLC, made a preliminary lease-to-own offer on the town-owned building at $4,000 per month for five years, for a total of $240,000. The company offered an $8,000 deposit, pay the first month’s rent in advance, and pay for any upgrades to the building. At the end of the lease term, they would have had the opportunity to buy the building for $100. The building would have been used primarily for cotton storage.
A motion by then council member Ben Boutwell to proceed with negotiations and work on an agreement failed on a 3-2 vote with council members James Smith, Sandra McMurray-Jackson and Luis Gomez voting against. The dissenters expressed objections against the business because it would likely not create any jobs.
“I don’t see the benefit for us,” Smith said at the time. “Where’s the employment?”
Smith and Gomez expressed concerns at the May 2019 meeting that if the council were to lease the building below market value, the town would not have any available industrial space if another company wanted to located in Century with new jobs.
“Someday it could produce jobs, even it’s 10-15 jobs for Century,” Gomez said.
“Let’s talk about y’all’s track record and my track record,” Baxley said after pointing out that no company had seriously considered the building in the past decade but he had developed several similar properties. “For 46 years now, I’ve been making payroll.”
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Molino Felon Charged With Firing Gun During An Argument With His Mother
August 3, 2020
A convicted felon from Molino was jailed after allegedly firing a gun after an argument with his mother.
Clifford Bernard McFann, Jr., 32, was charged with discharging a firearm in a residential area and felony possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shots fired disturbance in the 1000 block of Barth Road. McFann’s mother said she and her son got into an argument, and he went outside. She said she heard two shots, but was not sure if they were aimed at her or her residence, an arrest report states. There were no injuries.
Deputies learned McFann left headed southbound on Highway 29 in a vehicle driven by a female.
An ECSO deputy stopped the vehicle on Highway 29 at Archer Road.
Deputies located a backpack containing a handgun and two magazines in the vehicle, and the driver said it belonged to McFann, the report states. The gun smelled as if it had been recently fired, according to the ECSO deputy.
McFann told deputies that he did get into an argument with his mother, but no firearm was involved. When told the gun smelled as if it was recently fired, McFann said he went into a brushy area near the intersection of Barth Road and Barth lane. The remainder of his statement was redacted from the arrest report.
He was later released from the Escambia County Jail on a $4,000 bond.